Automatic shoe shine machine

ABSTRACT

AN AUTOMATIC SHOE SHINE MACHINE WHICH INCLUDES A SET OF BUFFING BRUSHES DRIVE BY A SEPARATE MOTOR, A PAIR OF INDIVIDUALLY DRIVEN POLISH APPLICATION BRUSHES, ONE FOR EACH OF TWO DIFFERENT COLORS OF POLISH, A SELECTION SWITCH FOR THE CUSTOMER TO SELECT THE DESIRED COLOR OF POLISH, A COIN MECHANISM FOR ACTIVATING THE MACHINE, AND A SEPARATE POLISH APPLICATOR ASSOCIATED WITH EACH OF THE POLISH APPLICATION BRUSHES, EACH OF THE POLISH APPLICATORS INCLUDING AN ELONGATED FEED TUBE, A CAKE OF WAX-TYPE POLISH DISPOSED WITHIN THE FEED TUBE, A PUSHER PLATE FOR PUSHING THE POLISH CAKE FORWARD ONTO THE ASSOCIATED POLISH BRUSH, A TELESCOPING LEAD SCREW ATTACHED TO THE PUSHER PLATE, AND A SMALL ELECTRIC MOTOR COUPLED TO THE REARWARD END OF THE   TELESCOPING LEAD SCREW, THE MACHINE FURTHER INCLUDING TIMING AND CONTROL CIRCUITRY RESPONSIVE TO THE COIN MECHANISM FOR ENERGIZING THE SELECTED POLISH APPLICATION BRUSH DURING THE ENTIRE OPERATING CYCLE, THE SELECTED POLISH APPLICATOR DURING ONLY AN INITIAL PORTION OF THE OPERATING CYCLE, AND BUFFING BRUSHES DURING THE REMAINDER OF THE OPERATING CYCLE.

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Filed Aug. s. 1968 '7 Sheets-Sheet 7 United States Patent C 3,551,933AUTOMATIC SHOE SHINE MACHINE Wilbert I. Jaeger, Orange, Calif., assignorto Medevco, Los Alamitos, Calif., a corporation of `California FiledAug. 5, 1968, Ser. No. 750,109 Int. Cl. A471 23/02 U.S. Cl. --31 6Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An automatic shoe shine machine whichincludes a set of buffing brushes driven by a separate motor; a pair ofindividually driven polish application brushes, one for each of twodifferent colors of polish; a selection switch for the customer toselect the desired color of polish; a coin mechanism for activating themachine; and a separate polish applicator associated with each of thepolish application brushes; each of the polish applicators including anelongated feed tube, a cake of wax-type polish disposed within the feedtube, a pusher plate for pushing the polish cake forward onto theassociated polish brush, a telescoping lead screw attached to the pusherplate, and a small electric motor coupled to the rearward end of thetelescoping lead screw; the machine further including timing and controlcircuitry responsive to the coin mechanism for energizing the selectedpolish application brush during the entire operating cycle, the selectedpolish ap plicator during only an initial portion of the operatingcycle, and the bung brushes during the remainder of the operating cycle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Various types of automatic shoe shinemachines have heretofore been available. However, their operation hasnot been satisfactory. The primary diculty has been in the automaticdispensing of polishing material. A liquid type polish has lgenerallybeen used in these automatic machines, and the dispensing thereof hassimply not resulted in a satisfactory polish job on the shoes of thecustomer.

One of the important features of the present invention is a novel typeof dispenser-for wax-type polish, which permits the dispensing of aprecisely metered quantity of polish in a carefully controlled manner.

Another significant feature of the invention is the provision of apolish applicator which incorporates a disposable feed tube as acontainer for the polishing material, thereby facilitating the `usage ofdisposable containers.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of a timing andsequence control in the operation of the shoe shine machine, whichminimizes the amount of polishing material that is used, obains thefullest possible usage from the polish material that is dispensed, makesthe operation of the machine extremely easy for the customer tounderstand and therefore its usage extremely easy, and provides thecustomer with the maximum results for a rather short operating cycle ofthe machine. More specitically, in its preferred form the machine hastwo polish application brushes, one for black polish and one for brownpolish; there are a separate set of rotating brushes used for bung theshoes after application of polish thereto; and a separate polishapplicator is associated with each of the polish brushes. A selectorswitch is set by the customer to select either black or brown polish.Thereafter the customer deposits a coin in the coin slot, and the polishapplicator and polish brush for the selected color are energizedsimultaneously. The polish brush runs for the full operating cycle ofthe machine, such as two and one-half minutes. The polish applicator isdriven only during an initial portion of the operating cycle, such aslifty seconds, and during this time the customer may apply his shoe tothe front of the polish brush while the applicator is applying polish tothe rear of the brush. After the polish applicator stops advancing thecustomer may, if he wishes, continue to apply his shoe to the front ofthe polish brush, even though no additional polish material is beingreceived by the brush. Until the polish applicator ceases to functionthere is only one brush rotating, and this is the polish brush for theparticular color of polish which was selected, so the customer has nodifficulty in understanding that he is to apply his shoe to the front ofthis particular brush. But when the end of that operation of the polishapplicator is reached, such as after fifty seconds, the set of buingbrushes then commence their rotation. The customer then readily`understands that it is now time for his shoes to be buifed.

DRAWINGS SUMMARY FIG. 1 is a perspective View of a presently preferredform of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view, partially cut away, of the machine ofFIG. l

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of FIG.2;

FIG. 4 is a horizontal cross-sectional View taken on the line 4 4 ofFIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a partial vertical cross-sectional view taken on the line 5-5of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a partial vertical cross-sectional view taken on the line 6 -6of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on the line 7-7 ofFIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on the line 8 8 ofFIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary cross-sectional View taken on the line 9-9 ofFIG. 6;

FIG. l0 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on the line 1010 ofFIG. 6;

FIG. 1l is a fragmentary cross-sectional plan View taken on the line11-11 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on the line 12-12 ofFIG. l1;

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary cross-sectional vertical View similar to FIG.l2, showing a more advanced position of the polish applicator;

FIG. 14 is a detail cross-sectional view taken in the circle 14-14 ofFIG. 13;

FIG. l5 is a detail cross-sectional view taken in the circle 15-15 ofFIG. 13;

FIG. 16 is a perspective View of the polish applicator housing;

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the telescoping lead screw used in thepolish applicator;

FIG. 18 is a timing cycle diagram; and FIG. 19 is a schematic blockdiagram of the machine.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Reference is now made to the drawings, andparticularly to FIGS. 1, 13, 16, 17, 18, and 19.

As best seen in FIG. 1 the complete machine includes a lower base and anelevated rear base 11. Fixed tubular members 12 and 13 are provided oneach side of the machine, each of these members extending forwardly fromthe top of the rear base 11 and being curved and then extending down andattaching to the upper front portion of the lower base 10. The members12 and 13 provide convenient hand grips for the customer so that he canmore conveniently manipulate his feet and shoes while he is using theshoe shine machine. Within the lower base 10 there is a black polishbrush 80 which is partially exposed at the left side of the machine, anda brown polish brush 81 which is partially exposed at the right side. Aselection switch 41 is mounted on the upper part of the rear base 11,and this selection switch is moved to its left-hand position if thecustomer desires black polish or to the right-hand position if hedesires brown polish. In the central region of the machine, on top ofthe lower base 10, are a set of bufng brushes 60, which morespecifically includes a rather large brush 61 mounted on the verticalbase 11 and two smaller brushes 62 and 63 mounted on the upper surfaceof the lower base 10. As will be understood from FIG. 1 taken inconjunction with FIG. 3, the size and location of the bufng brushes issuch that the customer may place his shoe within the opening provided atthe center of these brushes, and may manipulate his foot in variousdirections so as to obtain a bufng action on the entire exterior surfaceof the shoe.

The black polish brush receives polish material on its rearward sidefrom a polish applicator 100, which is not seen in FIG. 1 but which isillustrated in FIGS. 13, 16, and 17. In like manner the brown polishbrush 81 receives brown polish material on its rearward side from anidentically constructed polish applicator unit 101. As best seen in FIG.16 the polish applicator includes a frame 105 having a forward end 106and a rearward end 107. A short metallic feed tube section 110 issecurely attached, as by welding, to the forward end 106 of frame 105.An L-shaped bracket is rigidly attached to the rearward end 107 of frame105, and to this bracket 11S a small electric motor is rigidly secured.A reduction gear box 121 is affixed to motor 120, and from gear box 121a shaft extending through an opening in the plate 115 drives a U-shapedcoupler plate 122 which faces in a forward direction toward the feedtube section 110.

As best seen in FIG. 13 the polish applicator 100 is loaded by means ofa disposable cardboard feed tube 130, which is placed on top of theframe 105 in alignment with the short metallic section 110. An arcuatelyshaped metallic member 111 is welded on the upper rearward extremity oftube section 110 to provide a rearwardly projecting circumferentialflange; and when tube has been loaded into the applicator as shown inFIG. 13 the member 111 then acts as a xed alignment means formaintaining the forward end of tube 130 in a removable but preciselyaligned relationship with the rearward end of the metallic tube section110, thereby to insure the smooth forward movement of the polish cake inthe manner that will be subsequently described. The feed tube 130 isoriginally filled with an elongated cake of wax-type polish (see FIG.11). A cardboard cup 131 is then disposed within the rearward end of thefeed tube 130. An essential part of the polish applicator 100 is atelescoping lead screw 140 (FIG. 17). A pusher plate 145 is rigidlysecured, as by welding, to the forward end of lead screw 140, while ananchor plate 150 is likewise rigidly secured to its rearward end. In theassembled and operative relationship of the applicator, as shown in FIG.13, the pusher plate 145 occupies the interior of cupy 131, and henceindirectly engages the rearward end of polish cake 135 in order to 4propel the cake forwardly through the feed tube 130 and feed tubesection 110. At the same time the U-shaped anchor plate 150 is removablycoupled to the U-shaped drive member 122 associated with motor 120.

The operation of the polish applicator 100 is, in general as follows.Motor 120 is energized for a predetermined period of time, and therotation of the motor causes the rotation of the coupling members 122and 150, thus causing the length of telescoping lead screw to `becomeprogressively extended. Pusher plate has sharp prongs 146, 147 on itsforward surface which engage the inner bottom surface of the cardboardcup 131, and thereby prevent the rotation of pusher plate 145 relativeto the polish cake 135. Thus the rotating drive of motor 120, impartedto member 122, does not serve to rotate the polish cake 135 within theinterior of feed tube 130, but on the contrary simply pushes it forwardby virtue of the progressive extension in the length of telescoping leadscrew 140. Polish brush 80 rotates in a plane inclined from thehorizontal, hence the forward end of polish cake 135 is cut at such anangle that the particles of polish move in a partly forward and partlydownward direction as they are deposited on brush 80.

Means are provided for inserting and removing the telescoping lead screw140, in connection with the insertion or replacement of the feed tube130. Frame 105 includes a. major or forward part 1050 and a secondary orrearward part 105b (FIG. 16) which are joined together by means of abolt and wing nut 108 (FIG. 13). When the polish cake 135 has been fullyconsumed the wing nut 108 is removed, detaching frame portion 105b andthe motor 120, and making it possible to remove lead screw 140 from theinterior of feed tube 130. The used feed tube 130 is thrown away. A newfeed tube 130 is loaded onto the forward portion 105:2 of the applicatorframe being retained by a clasp member 109. The lead screw 140' is thentumed by hand to its original telescoped position, and its associatedpusher plate 145 is inserted into the cup 131 of the new feed tube. Theframe portion 105b and motor 120 are then replaced in their operativeposition and secured by means of the wing nut 108i. The unit is thenagain ready to operate, with a fully loaded feed tube in place.

Reference is now made to FIG. 18 showing the operating cycle of themachine, and to FIG. 19 which is a schematic system diagram of themachine. Any suitable coin receiver and electrical circuitry can be usedto operate the machine: for example, U.S. Pats. 3,396,418 to Kelly;2,964,768 to Sirois; and 1,836,924 to Kenny et al. show well-known coinreceiving and electrical systems. In the particular embodiment the coinmechanism 30 includes a coin slot 31, FIG. 1, into which a coin isdropped for initiating the operating cycle of the vmachine. The coinmoves into an upper mechanism portion 32 of the coin mechanism 30 wherethe weight of the coin causes actuation of two switches (not shown) bymoving the switches from their first to their second positions. Thisactivates the following: the timing and control system 40, which maycomprise a rotating cam (not shown) a motor M2 (reference number 70) torotate the polish brush PB (reference number 80) (or motor 71) to tooperate polish brush `81, depending upon the position of the switch 41),and a motor M1 (reference number 120) to operate the polish applicatorPA (reference number 100) (or the motor to operate the polish applicator101 depending upon the position of the switch 41). After a certainrotation of the cam, the coin is released and allowed to drop throughthe middle or chute portion 33 of the coin mechanism into the lower orcoin box portion 34. At the same time one of the two switches isreturned to its first position which turns oif motor M1 and therebypolish applicator 100 and turns on motor M3 (reference nurnber 50) whichrotates the bufhng brushes BB (reference number 60). When the timing camhas made a complete revolution, the second of the two switches returnsto its first position and motors M2 and M3 (70 and 50 respectively) areturned off.

The preferred operating cycle, as shown in FIG. 18, has a total timeperiod of two and one-half minutes. At the inception of this cycle, whenthe coin is dropped in slot 31, the polish applicator PA (or 100) isactuated, and at the same time the polish brush PB (or 80) is alsoactuated. Of course it will be understood that, by virtue of theselection switch 41, a selection has been made by the customer prior toplacing the coin in slot 31, hence only one of the polish brushes 80, 81will be actuated. and only the associated one of the polish applicators100, 101 will be actuated. The running time for the polish applicator ispreferably fifty seconds, and during this time the polish cake 135advances continuously, at a precisely controlled rate, onto the surfaceof the associated polish brush 80 or 81. When the application of polishmaterial is completed, the timing and control circuit 40 is effective tostop the energization of the polish applicator rnotor 120, and at thesame time is effective to energize the bufiing brush motor M3 (referencenumeral 50). The bufiing brushes then run for the remainder of theoperating cycle, or one minute, forty seconds.

One advantage of this method of machine operation is that the customer,simply by looking at the various brushes and seeing which one isrotating, automatically knows where to put his foot. During the firstfifty seconds only the selected one of the polish brushes 80, 81 will berotating. So there is only one place that he can place his foot and getany results from the machine, and this is the correct place. After thefirst fifty seconds the particular polish brush 80 or 81 continues torotate, but at that time the full set of bufiing brushes 60 commencesrotation. The customer then knows that his shoe can be buffed, if hewill only place it in contact with the bufiing brushes. The polishapplicating brush is still running, so he can still get some more polishmaterial on his show if he wants it, but unbeknownst to him there is nonew supply of polish material being transferred to the polish brush atthis time. That is all to the good, however, because economy in the useof the polish material is achieved, and saturation of the polish brushwith excessive and unneeded polish material is also avoided.

Reference is now made to the remaining figures of the drawings whereinvarious other details of construction of the shoe shine machine areillustrated.

In FIG. 2 it is seen that the complete coin mechanism 30 includes thecoin slot 31 at the top of the machine, the upper mechanism portion 32,the chute portion 33, and the coin box portion34, all of which areconventional and form no part of the present invention, and therefore donot require any further detailed description.

Also seen in FIG. 2 is the motor 50 (M3) which drives the bufiingbrushes 60. The drive system for the bufiing brushes is shown in FIGS.2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. Motor 50 has a drive shaft extending upward from it,on which there are two separate drive pulleys, the upper one beingdesignated as 51b while the lower is designated as 51a. A belt 52 rideson the pulley 51b and also on a pulley 53 which is located on a shaftextending downwardly beneath the buffng brush 62. Another pulley 54 isdriven by the same shaft aixed to the brush 62 carries a belt 5S, andthe belt 55 carries the drive power to a pulley 56 that is carried on adownwardly extending shaft of the bufhng brush `63. Drive pulley 51acarries another and longer belt 57, which rides over 'a pair of idlerpulleys 58a, 58b and thence up to a drive pulley 59 that is connected tothe drive shaft for the bufiing brush 61.

Referring now to FIG-S. 2 and 3, it will be seen that each of the polishbrushes 80, 81 has its own separate drive motor 70, 71. Thus as seen inFIG. 3 the brush 80 is supported above an inclined frame portion 16; thebrush shaft extends through the frame portion 16 on its under side; anda drive motor 70 is attached to the shaft.

6 ALTERNATE FORMS In an alternate mode of construction the polish cake135 may be provided with a square or rectangular crosssectionalconfiguration, in which event the shape of the Ifeed tube and feed tubesection 110 are modified accordingly.

In some applications a smaller and more compact machine is desired, andthis can be easily accomplished by making several modifications in theillustrated form of our machine. One such modification is the use of asingle bufiing brush which rotates on a vertical axis like the brushes62 and `63, in lieu of the present set of three brushes. Another suchmodification is the use of a larger number of telescoping sections inthe telescoping lead screw 140, so that the overall length of the polishapplicator can be reduced, and the front-to back dimension of themachine can be reduced correspondingly. The timing and control circuitmay also be simplified by running the buffer brush as well as the polishbrush throughout the entire operating cycle of the machine.

The invention has been described in considerable detail in order tocomply with the patent laws by providing a full public disclosure of atleast one of its forms. However, such detailed description is notintended in any way to limit the broad features or principles of theinvention, or the scope of patent monopoly to be granted.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new in support ofLetters Patent is:

1. An automatic shoe shine machine comprising, in

combination:

a pair of rotatable polish application brushes, one for each of twodifferent colors of polish, each of said polish application brusheshaving an indifvidual drive motor associated therewith;

a selection switch for selecting the desired one of said polish colors;

at least one buffing brush having drive means associated therewith;

pair of polish applicators, one associated with each of said polishapplication brushes, each of said polish applicators including anelongated feed tube, an elongated cake of ywax-type polish disposedwithin said feed tube, feeding means for advancing said polish cakeIthrough said feed tube at a continuous and constant rate against theassociated polish application brush, and a small electric motor coupledto said feeding means for driving the same;

means for receiving a coin to activate the machine; and

means for timing and controlling the machine activated by said coinmechanism and responses to the position of said selection switch toselectively initiate the drive motor of one of said polish applicationbrushes throughout the entire duration of a predetermined operatingcycle, to initiate the drive motor of the polish applicator associatedwith the selected one of said polish application brushes during only aninitial portion of said operating cycle, and to initiate the drive meansof said bufiiing brush during the remaining portion of said operatingcycle.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said feeding means includes apusher plate adapted to be received within said feed tube, means forpreventing rotation of said pusher plate relative to said feed tube, atelescoping lead screw having its forward end rigidly secured to saidpusher plate, and an anchor plate coupling the rearward end of said leadscrew to said small electric motor to be rotatably driven thereby.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 including a set of three bufiingbrushes, and a common drive means for concurrently driving all of saidbuffing brushes in unison.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the period of said operatingcycle is approximately two and onehalf minutes, said initial portion ofsaid operating cycle is approximately fifty seconds, and said remainingportion of said operating cycle is approximately one minute, fortyseconds.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of said polishapplication brushes rotates in a plane which is inclined approximatelytwenty degrees from the hori zontal, the forward and downwardly disposedside of each brush being adapted for the application of polish t0 theshoe of a customer, and the rearward and upwardly disposed side of thebrush being engaged by said polish cake of said polish applicator; saidfeed tube being horizontally disposed and having its forward end cut atan angle of approximately twenty degrees from the vertical whereby therotating action of the polish application brush also cuts away theforward end of said polish cake at approximately the same angle.

6. In an automatic shoe shine machine, a polish applicator comprising,in combination:

an elongated feed tube being horizontally disposed;

an elongated cake of wax-type polish disposed within said feed tube;

a pusher plate disposed within said feed tube and engaging one end ofsaid polish cake;

means preventing rotation of said pusher plate relative to said feedtube;

a telescoping lead screw having a first end rigidly secured to saidpusher plate;

a small electric `motor for advancing said lead screw at a continuousand constant rate;

an anchor plate coupling a second end of said lead 8 screw to said smallelectric motor to be rotatably driven thereby;

a polish application brush rotatable in a plane which is inclined fromthe horizontal, the downwardly disposed portion of said brush beingadapted for the application of polish to the shoe of a customer, and theupwardly disposed portion of said brush being engaged by the second endof said polish cake;

whereby as said polish cake advances, the rotating action of said brushcuts away particles of polish from the second end of said polish cake;and

the second end of said polish cake is cut at an angle inclined from thevertical such that the particles of polish move in a direction partlytowards said brush and partly downward as they are deposited upon saidbrush.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,448,342 3/1923 Harris 15-311,805,832 5/1931 McDowell et al 15-31 2,964,768 12/1960 Sirois 15-313,396,418 8/1968 Kelly 15-31 EDWARD L. ROBERTS, Primary Examiner U.S.Cl. X.R. 15-34

